This application is related to concurrently filed and commonly assigned applications Ser. No. 329,468 filed Dec. 19, 1981 and now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,152, and Ser. No. 329,466 filed Dec. 10, 1981, and now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 4,442,460.
This invention concerns a reproducing machine and, more specifically, it relates to a reproducing machine for preparing a plurality of copies from one sheet of original document.
Reproducing machines include those types utilizing a diazo photographic process, xerographic process, and the like. However, in the diazo photographic process, only one copy can be obtained from one sheet of original and, to obtain a plurality of copies, reproduction procedures have to be repeated for the required number of sheets. In addition, the originals used are restricted to those of transparent or semitransparent types. In the xerographic process, a plurality of copies can be obtained from one sheet of original and there is no restriction on the type of original. However, a xerographic process requires a great amount of electrical power for fixing images to the sheet after development, needs heat insulation for the fixing device and further is disadvantageous in that the overall size of the machine is increased.